The Not Parting of Ways
by Luiz4200
Summary: AU What if Harry Potter had convinced Fudge that Voldemort was back?
1. The Difference a Pensieve Can Make

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything from the series. If I did, Harry wouldn't have forgiven Dumbledore for leaving him with the Dursleys.**

**The Not Parting of Ways**

**Chapter 1: The Difference a Pensieve Can Make**

"In that case, Mr. Potter, I'm sure you won't mind providing me a Pensieve memory of You-Know-Who's return. Will you?" Fudge asked, hoping Harry wouldn't be able to and then the whole Voldemort matter would be forgotten. Cornelius Fudge certainly didn't expect Harry's reply.

"Not at all, Minister!" An eager Harry Potter replied and then turned his attention to Albus Dumbledore. "Headmaster, may Minister Fudge and I use your Pensieve?"

"Naturally, Harry." Dumbledore replied with his usual grandfather smile and produced his Pensieve. Harry then put his memory from the moment both he and Cedric Diggory touched the Triwizard Cup and the moment Harry brought Cedric's body from Little Hangleton Graveyard. "Do you believe it now, Minister?"

"Y-yes." Said a nervous Cornelius Fudge, unable to deny such a strong evidence.

"Good." Harry said and then decided to make another request. "Minister, I request that my Godfather, Sirius Black, is given a trial and that the Pensieve memory I've just shown you is included as evidence that he didn't kill Peter Pettigrew."

"What are you talking about, Harry?" Fudge asked. "Of course he killed Peter Pettigrew."

"Then how do you explain Pettigrew's presence at Voldemort's return?" Harry asked.

"Some Death Eater, probably Sirius Black, using Polyjuice to impersonate the deceased Petter Pettigrew to keep up the lies he confused you and your friends with last year." Fudge replied, unknowingly causing Severus Snape to smile and a black dog to growl at him.

Considering it was just revealed how Barty Crouch Junior managed to trick everybody at Hogwarts into believing he was Alastor Moody, Harry admitted to himself how plausible it was. However, Harry then showed Fudge his memory of facing Peter Pettigrew at the Shrieking Shack.

"Harry, I admit the Ministry made a mistake with your godfather but the Ministry can't be seen on a bad light." Fudge replied.

"Then arrest Snape for obstructing justice." Harry suggested. "He was a Death Eater and might have already known about Pettigrew being the real traitor and kept it a secret out of personal hatred against Sirius Black. Was he questioned under Veritaserum?"

"It wouldn't have worked." Fudge replied. "Occlumency Masters like Severus Snape can resist Veritaserum."

"But he said even Voldemort would spill his secret with three drops of it." Harry replied, ignoring the fact he didn't know what Occlumency is.

"And what led him to mention it?" Fudge asked and then Harry mentioned Snape veiled threat.

"Did you threat to use Veritaserum on a student?" Fudge asked.

"It was a bluff, Minister." Snape answered.

"Bluff or not, I'll report this to the Board of Governors." Fudge announced and then turned himself to the black dog. "Sirius Black, I know you're innocent but the memory evidence of this must be shown before you appear in public again so I still have to arrest you." With this, everyone there who still didn't know Sirius Black is an unregistered animagus became confused until Fudge changed Sirius back into human form.

"Aaaaahhhhhhh! That's Sirius Black!" Exclaimed Molly Weasley.

"Sirius Black, you'll be escorted to a Ministry holding cell where you'll be waiting for a trial." Fudge said. "The order to have you kissed will be called off and the charge of murdering Peter Pettigrew will be dropped in face of the evidence he's still alive. I'll issue orders to have Pettigrew and all wizards who responded to You-Know-Who's call tonight arrested as Death Eaters."

Fudge then turned his attention to Albus Dumbledore. "Albus, some of the children attending Hogwarts are children of the denounced Death Eaters. For safety matters, don't let any of them leave the castle until their respective Death Eater parents are arrested, cleared or killed resisting capture." Dumbledore nodded. "As for the giants, you're the one promoting their acceptance so _you_ will be sending envoys to them. And I still won't have the Dementors removed from Azkaban."

"Harry Potter, since You-Know-Who is now able to pass the protection your mother left behind, you'll be a ward of the Ministry until a new guardian is able to raise you since the reason to override the clause of your parents' wills stating you should never be raised by your Muggle relatives." Fudge announced, shocking Harry. "They left wills?"

"Of course they did." Fudge said like it was obvious. "Your father was quite wealthy. And, talking about money…" Fudge then picked a bag with one thousand Galleons and conjured an empty one. He picked five hundred Galleons from the first bag and put it in the other one. "Harry, since you and Cedric Diggory were the first ones to get the Triwizard Cup and touched it at the same time, you get half the money prize." He says, handing Harry one of the bags, and then gives Dumbledore the other bag. "See to it that Cedric's parents get the other half, please. Usually there would be a ceremony, but after all of this…"

**Please review. Is this a good beginning? Does anyone know what good Lily's protective wards could bring to make them still needed even after Voldemort managed to bypass them?**


	2. Hearings and Trials

**Chapter 2: Hearings and Trials**

Harry Potter had never been so angry during his whole life. Even when he inflated Vernon Dursley's sister Marge. His parents stated in their will he was never supposed to live with the Dursleys but Dumbledore overrode this to keep active the protection that saved him from Voldemort years ago. In Harry's opinion, Albus Dumbledore was no better than Dobby with his obsession for safety. At least now Harry was really safe as a ward of the Ministry of Magic. His train of thought was interrupted by Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, who had just entered his room. "Good morning, Harry."

"Good morning, Minister." Harry replied and then noticed Fudge feeling some pain on one of his ears. "Minister, what happened to your ear?"

"Oh, just a howler from Mrs. Pettigrew." Fudge explained. "She's quite angry at me for accusing her long presumed dead son of being a Death Eater."

"Minister, when will Sirius be tried?" Harry asked.

"Just a couple of days after Severus Snape's hearing, which is the reason I came here." Fudge answered. "I'm not sure if the Veritaserum bluff will be enough to have Snape fired. Is there anything else from your memories that can be added against him as a teacher?"

**LINE BREAK – The Board of Governors' hearing room**

"Severus Snape, you've been charged with threatening to force-feed a student with Veritaserum, unjustly docking House points from anyone other than Slytherins and requiring first-years to brew potions without teaching them safety tips." The Head of the Board of Governors announced. "What do you have to say in your defense?"

"Harry Potter made up these accusations to get attention, Governors." Snape replied. The Governors then exposed Harry's memories of Snape's threat of 'accidentally' dropping Veritaserum at Harry's pumpkin juice; docking points from Hermione Granger for correctly answering all questions Snape made while acting as a substitute DADA teacher during Harry's third year; some random days where he docked points from Gryffindor students for arriving late from class but didn't dock points from Slytherin students for arriving even later; and Harry's first day of class.

"Professor Snape, what do you have to say about these images Mr. Potter presented here?" The now angry Head of the Board of Governors asked.

"I was bluffing about the Veritaserum." Snape started to explain. "Ms. Granger needed to learn a lesson about her arrogance. My Slytherins needed compensation from the persecution they suffer from the other Houses. And all of them should have known at least the basic safety measures about potion making."

"Have you been treating the first-year students this way during your entire career as Hogwarts' Potions Master, Professor Snape?"

"Yes."

"Did Professor Slughorn treat the first-years the same way?" The Head asked. Harry wondered who Slughorn was until he, based on the question, understood Slughorn was the Potions Master from the time Snape was a Hogwarts student.

"No. He didn't understand the value of the time he wasted with useless explanations."

"Useless for you, maybe, but not for all students." The Head replied and then, since nobody else had anything to add, the Board went to deliberate.

"Severus Snape, based on the evidence presented against you to this Board, we hereby ban you from ever holding any teaching post at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, effective immediately." The Head announced after the Board reached for a verdict. "You have two weeks to gather all your personal belongings there and leave Hogwarts premises unless the Headmaster decides to give you a non-teaching post, which we strongly suggest he doesn't."

Snape then glared at the one he blames for losing his teaching post. "You might have used your name to cost me my job but you won't use it to let your murderous godfather free, Potter."

Two days later, the Wizengamot was reunited for the trial of Sirius Black. After an official gives Sirius three drops of Veritaserum, Amelia Bones (neither Fudge nor Dumbledore could preside Sirius Black's trial because of their involvement as witnesses – Fudge since his report as a member of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes and Dumbledore since telling what James Potter told him about making Sirius Black his secret-keeper) started making questions. "Are you Sirius Black of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place?"

"Yes."

"When did you become a Death Eater?"

"I never did." Sirius said, shocking everyone present.

"Were you the Potters' secret-keeper?" Amelia Bones asked, no longer sure he was guilty.

"No."

"Then why Albus Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge said otherwise?"

"Because having me as the secret-keeper was the original idea but James, Lily and I agreed to make a change and not tell anybody so I'd be a decoy."

"Who was the secret-keeper?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Is this the real reason you killed Peter Pettigrew?"

"I didn't kill him." Sirius replied. "He forged his death to escape justice."

"Did you kill those muggles?"

"No."

"Then what happened to them?"

"Peter Pettigrew killed them."

"Does anybody else have any questions to Mr. Black?" Amelia asked. Since nobody did, she ordered the Veritaserum antidote to be administered and then all witnesses have shown their relevant pensieve memories. Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the minister, tried to have Sirius Black convicted as an unregistered animagus but Amelia pointed out that, as an auror, Sirius Black is exempt from the law that requires animagi to register themselves. With all the evidence shown in Sirius' defense, no Wizengamot member dared to vote for his conviction.

After Sirius got released, Dumbledore approached him for a private conversation. "Sirius, I'm sorry for not trying to get you a trial before. Please accept this as a token of apology." He then gave the recently-acquitted Sirius Black a wand.

"My wand?" He asked in shock. "I thought it had been snapped!"

"It was." Dumbledore replied with a smile. "Most people think broken wands can never be repaired to the point of being as good as new but I know better than that. Just keep it a secret."

"Deal."

"Sirius, what do you plan to do now that you're a free man again?" Dumbledore asked, seeming to be just curious. "Going to be an auror again?"

"No way!" A now enraged Sirius replied. "None of them ever tried to get me a trial or speak on my behalf. They all were so sure of my darkness just because of my family's reputation."

"In that case, would you like to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Sirius?" Dumbledore asked, shocking Sirius even more.

"Why would I want to be a teacher?" Sirius asked.

"Knowing you, probably some immature reason like wanting to see Severus's face once he learns the teaching post he desired is taken by the one person he might despise more than he ever hated James Potter." Dumbledore said, knowing it'll convince Sirius. "Not that Severus will be there to see since the Board of Governors banned him from ever holding any teaching post in Hogwarts."

"I'm in!" An excited Sirius replied.

"Excellent." Dumbledore replied. "Now, there's something I must talk to you about. It's about your cousin Narcissa."

**Please review.**


	3. Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place

**Chapter 3: Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place**

"Harry, now that your magical guardian is already cleared, you no longer need to be a ward of the Ministry." Cornelius Fudge told the Boy-Who-Lived. "He'd take you home but he wanted to prepare it. Dumbledore will take you there."

"Okay."

Dumbledore apparated to Grimmauld Place with Harry side-alonging with him. "Headmaster, where does Sirius live?" Harry asked.

"The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place." Dumbledore calmly explained.

"What does it have…" Harry was asking until he saw a house suddenly appear between two others and push them apart. Nobody seemed to have noticed anything. "Sirius Black's home is under fidelius with me as the Secret-Keeper. We chose it as the Headquarters because it already had several natural protections left behind by his ancestors."

As they entered the home, Harry was quickly hugged by Molly Weasley. "Thank goodness you're here!" She said. "I can't take it anymore. Sirius Black's partying mood is unbearable."

"The man spent twelve years in Azkaban and later two as a fugitive for crimes he didn't commit, Molly." Dumbledore said with his Grandfatherly tone. "Surely…"

"If at least _that_ was the only thing he wanted to celebrate." Molly interrupted. "I made a party banner saying WELCOME HOME, SIRIUS and he changed it to SNIVELLUS IS NO LONGER TEACHING!"

"Snivellus?" A confused Harry asked.

"It's the way your Dad and your Godfather called Severus back when all of us were students, Harry." Remus Lupin explained.

"Professor Lupin?"

"I'm no longer a professor, Harry." Remus replied. "You can call me Remus now."

"Okay… Remus." Harry said. "What's the Order of the Phoenix?"

"During the First Wizarding War, Dumbledore believed the Ministry's efforts against Voldemort to be enough so he reunited others who thought the same way and founded the Order of the Phoenix." Remus explained. "We disbanded when Voldemort failed to kill you but now he's back we felt it needed to recreate the order."

Before Harry thought about anything to say about this, he noticed another known face. "Professor Moody?"

"I don't know so much about 'Professor'," growled the voice, "never got round to much teaching, did I? Get down here; we want to see you properly."

Harry then approached Moody until the former auror pointed his wand at him. Mad-Eye Moody, who had long grizzled grey hair and a large chunk missing from his nose, was squinting suspiciously at Harry through his mismatched eyes. One eye was small, dark and beady, the other large, round and electric blue - the magical eye that could see through walls, doors and the back of Moody's own head. "Are you quite sure it's him, Lupin?" he growled. "It'd be a nice lookout if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating him. We ought to ask him something only the real Potter would know. Unless anyone brought any Veritaserum?"

"Harry, what form does your Patronus take?" Lupin asked.

"A stag," said Harry nervously.

"That's him, Mad-Eye," said Lupin.

"The Potter brat's similarities to his father are unmistakable, Moody." A voice Harry expected not to hear at Sirius' house said.

"As if I'd trust you, Death Eater scum." Moody growled in reply. "Dumbledore might trust you and the others might have blind trust on his judgment but I'm keeping my mad eye on you."

"What is _he_ doing here?" Harry angrily asked.

"For some reason I can't fathom, Dumbledore trusts the greasy git." Sirius replied. "I'd rather give him my former Azkaban cell."

"And I'd rather be in the presence of a dementor than yours, Black." Snape replied with his usual sneering.

"Sirius, Severus, it's about time you put your differences aside." Dumbledore sternly said.

"Easy for you to say since you're not the one he almost caused a werewolf to kill." Snape replied. Dumbledore's look was enough to make Snape stop.

"Headmaster, I'm trying to rid this house of dark artifacts but it's hard even without being worried Snivellus might get some of them for Voldemort." Sirius said.

"You shouldn't treat our family's precious heirlooms like that, cousin." A woman said. Harry realized, to his horror, that the woman is Draco Malfoy's mother.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Harry angrily asked. "And why did you call Sirius 'cousin'?"

Sirius then gave a sheepish smile. "Harry, let me introduce you to my cousin Narcissa Malfoy née Black."

"You're related to the Malfoys?" A shocked Harry asked.

"Unfortunately." Sirius replied. "The old families are connected somehow. I can show my family tree if you want details."

"Later on, Sirius." Harry answered, not wanting to think at his Godfather being related to the Malfoys. "But why are they here?"

"The Aurors raided Malfoy Manor and…"

"Was Lucius Malfoy captured?" Harry eagerly asked.

"Even better. He was killed!"

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK! AREN'T YOU ASHAMED OF YOURSELF FOR SAYING THIS?" An enraged Molly Weasley asked.

"What's the matter? Didn't you hate him as well?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, but his son is at the house." Molly reminded Sirius.

Harry then wanted a change of subject. "Does anyone here have any idea of who the new Potions Master is?"

"No, but I hope it's someone like Horace Slughorn." Sirius answered.

"Who?"

"Professor Slughorn was the Potions Master and the Head of Slytherin back when your parents and I were students, Prongslet." Sirius Black explained.

"Wait a minute, brother." Fred asked upon overhearing the conversation.

"Did Sirius Black call our Harry 'Prongslet'?" George asked.

"Didn't Harry tell you?" Sirius eagerly replied. "His Dad was Prongs."

"You were…"

"…a Marauder's son?" The twins asked in shock.

"I must have forgotten to tell." Harry sheepishly said.

"Do you know who the other Marauders were?" Gred and Forge asked in unison.

"Sirius here is Padfoot."

"Are you serious?" The twins asked.

"No, he is." Harry replied, pointing to Sirius, who was now laughing at the pun.

"What about the other Marauders?"

"Professor Lupin is Moony."

"Our fifth year Defense teacher was a Marauder?"

"Yes."

"What about Wormtail?"

"Don't mention him in this house!" Sirius angrily replied.

Harry whispered to the twins. "You guys know Wormtail as Scabbers."

The twins fainted. The noise attracted more people's attentions. "Harry, what happen… Harry?" A happily surprised Hermione asked.

"Hi, Hermione. Hi, Ron." Harry calmly replied.

"Harry, while you were at the Ministry, have you heard anything about arresting Snape?" Ron asked.

"No." Harry sadly said. "It seems we're going to settle for no longer having him at Hogwarts."

"I hope the new Potions Master is better than Snape." Ron wished.

"Well, it's not difficult." Harry replied.

**Please review.**


	4. Jobs and Horcruxes

**Chapter 4: Jobs and Horcruxes**

Another Weasley entered Grimmauld Place. "Percy?" Harry asked. "How're you doing?"

"Fine." Percy simply answered. "After that blunder with Mr. Crouch I would have been fired but with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's return the Ministry of Magic decided that the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes needed more people. I'd rather join Dad in his new office but beggars can't be choosers, I guess."

"New office?"

"Upon suggestion of Rufus Scrimegour, Head of Auror Office, Minister Fudge created a new office located in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement: the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects." Percy explained. "Dad heads the office and has twelve people working under him. He misses working with Muggle Artifacts but understands the need to keep the world safe from Death Eaters."

"Don't feel so bad, son." Arthur said. "Minister Fudge used to work at the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes before becoming the Minister of Magic." That made Percy extremely happy.

"May we stop talking about the Ministry?" Sirius Black added. "We need to clean up the house and make sure Narcissa and Draco aren't keeping any dark object for themselves."

Speaking of the devil, Draco could be heard. "Mother, why did you never tell me we descend from Salazar Slytherin?"

"Draco, where did you get the idea we have this honor?" A confused Narcissa Malfoy asked.

"From this!" Draco answered while showing a locket. "I found Salazar Slytherin's locket among the stuff those blood traitors tried to cast away."

"Malfoy, how can you be so sure this locket belonged to Salazar Slytherin?" Harry demanded.

"Every Slytherin is taught what his locket looks like, Potter." Draco explained. "This is undoubtedly his locket."

"Did you know the locket was in this house, Sirius?" Narcissa asked.

"I had no idea, Narcissa." Sirius answered.

"Then let's ask Kreacher." Narcissa suggested.

"Hah." Sirius scoffed. "I bet one Galleon he won't know."

"Make it two, cousin." Narcissa snapped.

"Deal."

"Kreacher!"

The house-elf poped on. "Yes, Mistress?" Kreacher eagerly asked.

"Do you know how this locket came into this house, Kreacher?" Narcissa asked and then noticed Kreacher's reaction. "I order you to tell."

Despite Regulus' orders not to tell anybody, Kreacher saw no choice but obey his 'Mistress' and tell his tale. Both Narcissa and Sirius got the shock of their lives.

"Why didn't you destroy it, Kreacher?" Sirius asked.

Kreacher started crying. "Kreacher wasn't able to. The locket can't be destroyed unless it's opened and Kreacher couldn't open it. Kreacher is a bad elf!"

Sirius and Narcissa, for some reason Harry and Draco wouldn't understand, asked the two kids not to be around when they talked to Dumbledore about the locket. "Sirius, Narcissa, you were right. This locket is a Horcrux."

"How do we destroy it, Headmaster?" Sirius asked.

"Dobby!" Dumbledore called and Dobby appeared. "Did Headmaster Dumbledore call for Dobby, Sir?"

"Dobby, bring me Godric Gryffindor's sword."

"Headmaster, why did you ask for the Malfoy family's house elf?" Sirius asked after Dobby left.

"Dobby is no longer bound to the Malfoys, Sirius." Dumbledore answered. "He now works at Hogwarts."

Dobby then brought back the sword. "Now all we need is to open the locket and then I can use Godric Gryffindor's sword to destroy it." Dumbledore said.

"Impossible, Headmaster." Sirius replied. "Salazar Slytherin charmed his locket so it'd not open unless commanded in Parseltongue to do so."

"No problem." Dumbledore replied. "I'll just talk to Harry."

"What does Prongslet have to do with it?" A confused Sirius Black asked.

"He's a Parselmouth, Sirius." Dumbledore explained. While Sirius was recovering from the shock, Dumbledore approached Harry to ask him to open the locket.

"Headmaster, do I really need to speak Parseltongue again?" Harry asked, not wanting to do something considered dark.

"I'm afraid so, Harry." Dumbledore sadly replied. "This locked contains a curse similar from that diary and I need it open so I can finish it."

Thinking about that diary and Ginny was enough to convince Harry. One swift move from Dumbledore and the locket's curse is history. The Headmaster then went to Sirius to relay the good news. "Do you mean Voldemort can be killed now?" Sirius eagerly asked.

"I'm afraid not, Sirius." Dumbledore answered.

"But we've already destroyed his Horcrux." Sirius pleaded.

"That one, perhaps. But I wonder how many others he made."

"Somebody made more than ONE of them?" A shocked Sirius asked.

"I'm afraid so, Sirius." Dumbledore sadly replied. "I've found one on a way that already suggested he made more and I'm afraid the diary and the locket weren't the only ones."

"What can we do then?"

"I'm looking for more clues, Sirius." Dumbledore answered. "But first, I have to meet the other professors to pick the prefects."

"I'll be certainly picked, right, Headmaster?" Draco asked with his usual arrogance.

"Haven't your mother told you, Draco?" Dumbledore asked. "To keep you safe from Voldemort's influence, your Mother decided to keep you from returning to Hogwarts and hire some private tutors."

"SHE CAN'T DO THAT!" Draco angrily replied.

"I'm afraid she can, Draco." Dumbledore replied. "She hired Severus to teach you Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions and Charms and Remus to teach Transfiguration, History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures."

"But Lupin is a werewolf!" Draco exclaimed in horror.

"There's no need to worry, Draco." Sirius said, making Draco feel relieved until Sirius added, "I've managed to keep Umbridge from passing that stupid anti-werewolf legislation that would have made it criminal to hire werewolves."

"You actually _defended_ those filthy creatures!" A horrified Draco asked.

"Twenty points from Slytherin for this insult, Malfoy." Sirius said with a teacher-like tone.

"I'm no longer a student of Hogwarts, _Professor_ Black." Draco maliciously said. "Nothing I do or say can be used as a reason to make Slytherin win or lose points."

"Fine. Slytherin gets the points back."

POP The twins apparated in the room. "Are you giving…"

"…Slytherin House points?"

"Just giving back points I technically couldn't have taken from Draco Malfoy since he'll no longer attend Hogwarts." Sirius explained.

"Are you serious?" The twins asked.

"Yes but my name has nothing to do with it." Sirius replied, making the twins laugh.

"Yes, another reason to…"

"…complete our education."

"Excuse me?" Sirius asked.

"At first, since we became of age and therefore could no longer be forced to attend school, we thought about devoting our time to the joke shop." Fred said.

"A noble cause, I admit." Sirius replied.

"But, we couldn't resist the temptation of knowing what a year without Snape is like." George said.

"And knowing Malfoy won't be back either makes Hogwarts sound even better." Fred added.

"I understand the feeling but pranksters need targets." Sirius said.

"There are other Slytherins…"

"…and some prats from other Houses as well."

"Good point."

**Please review.**


	5. Hogwarts

**Chapter 5: Hogwarts**

Harry and his friends are heading to King's Cross in the same cars they did two years ago. "Prongslet, I know you can't make your Dad proud since he, unlike you, wasn't a prefect, but your mother was." Sirius said. "Albeit I'd rather have you NOT making her proud in that regard. She gave us lots of detentions in our day. She should dock points from Slytherins."

"She couldn't do that as a prefect, Professor Black." Hermione replied. "Prefects can't dock points from any House other than their own. She had to become Head Girl or a teacher to dock points from the other houses."

"She became Head Girl." Sirius moaned. "And yet she didn't dock as many points from Slytherins as she did from us."

"Hermione, you can't dock points from those snakes but you'd better give them a lot of detentions." Ron suggested.

After Moody made sure it was safe (or that the people whose safety he was responsible for were too afraid of missing the train, whatever happened first), Harry and his friends left the cars and entered Platform 9 ¾. "The same usual compartment?" Ron asked.

"Harry and I are prefects now, Ronald." Hermione replied. "Harry and I have special compartments."

"I got word the Potions Master Dumbledore hired to replace Snivellus is also inside the train." Sirius commented. "I'll try to find him and see if he's a better teacher than the greasy git."

Ron lonely looked for a compartment until he found Neville Longbottom. The two of them found seats at a compartment with Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood. "Hi, Ron. Hi, Neville. Join us." Ginny said.

"No, thanks." Ron sheepishly said, not wanting to sit with "Loony" Lovegood. "We'll…"

"We don't mind." Ginny said, pulling Ron. Neville went along.

Meanwhile, Harry and Hermione met the other prefects. "Potter, Granger, what have you done to Draco?" Theodore Nott, the Slytherin prefect, asked with an accusing tone.

"What do you mean, Nott?" Harry asked.

"I was told Draco Malfoy won't be returning this year." Nott said. "I don't know how but I'm sure you have something to do with it."

"You're not here to argue with your fellow prefects, Nott!" The Head Boy said. "Remember you wouldn't be a prefect had Malfoy come to get the title."

After that argument, the prefects started their rounds. "Harry Potter." A student called. "Professor Slughorn asked me to deliver you this note." The student than gave the note and left.

"Slughorn?" Harry asked, thinking about Snape's predecessor.

"Maybe Horace Slughorn has a son or a daughter that followed in his footsteps." Hermione suggested. As both of them went to the place the note told Harry to meet Professor Slughorn, they found several other students and a man they believe to be Professor Slughorn. Given the man's age, Harry suspected he's the same Professor Slughorn his Godfather mentioned. "Horace Slughorn, I presume?"

"You're correct, Mr. Potter." Slughorn replied. "Have you already been told you look like your father but…"

"… with my mother's eyes, yes." Harry replied. "Professor, this is my best friend and fellow Gryffindor prefect Hermione Granger."

"Granger?" Slughorn asked. "Are you related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, founder of The Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?" Professor Slughorn asked with a big smile.

"I don't think so, Sir." Hermione meekly answered. "I'm a Muggle-born."

Slughorn's reaction made it obvious that her connection to Harry Potter is the only reason he's still talking to her. _'At least until he sees how good she is as a potion maker.'_ Harry thought. _'Unless he's as much of a git as Snape used to be during his time but this doesn't match what Sirius said about him.'_

Later on, as they arrived at the Great Hall, Dumbledore made the announcements. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to announce two new additions to our teaching staff: first, Sirius Black is our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher; second, the Board of Governors deemed Professor Snape unfit to teach children, so Professor Horace Slughorn agreed to resume his posts as Hogwarts' Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House." The last part got applause from all students. From the Slytherins for having a Head of House that was so well spoken by their parents and from the other students because Snape left. "The Ministry recently passed an Educational Decree allowing them to appoint teachers for any post I can't find anyone to teach. Fortunately that won't be necessary yet. But enough of speeches for now. We all want to eat."

After dinner, Ron invited Harry for a game of Exploding Snap with him. "Sorry, Ron, but I have to lead the Gryffindor first-years to their dorms. Prefect duties."

The next morning, at the Gryffindor common room, Angelina Johnson approached Harry. "Great news, Harry! I'm the new captain of the Quidditch team."

"Congratulations!" Harry exclaimed.

"Training begins tonight." She added. "Don't miss it?"

"Are you sure you're not Oliver Wood on polyjuice?" Harry asked.

"It's Quidditch we're talking about, Potter." She sternly said. "Be serious."

"My Godfather likes Quidditch but I can't be him, Angelina." Harry replied.

"Harry, that…" Gred started.

"… was hilarious." Forge continued.

"Fred, George, how good is your brother as a keeper?" Angelina said. "We need a new one now that Wood graduated."

"Honestly, we'd rather have…"

"…Ginny as a keeper."

"Actually, she's asked me about chaser tryouts." Angelina replied.

"What?" The twins asked in shock. "But our Ginny doesn't even play Quidditch." Fred said.

"She does." Harry replied. "You and your brothers wouldn't let her play with you so she must do it hidden from your family."

"You knew and didn't…"

"…tell us?"

"I'm not a snitch. I just catch them during games."

"Well, it seems that being a Marauder's son and another's godson gave him a sense of humor, don't you agree, Forge?"

"In fact, Gred."

"Marauder?" Angelina asked.

"A group of pranksters my Dad and my Godfather used to be a part of while they were students." Harry explained. "Snape was their favorite victim."

**Please review.**


	6. Plans

**Chapter 6: Plans**

At Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, Severus Snape was teaching his only student. "I'm glad to see being isolated from other students hasn't impaired your potion proficiency, Mr. Malfoy." Snape dryly commented.

"Any news from the Dark Lord, Sir?" Draco Malfoy asked, eager to become a Death Eater.

"Mr. Malfoy, the very reason your Mother pulled you away from Hogwarts was to keep you from becoming a Death Eater and having your Father's end." Snape replied.

"I mean no disrespect to Mother, but she's a fool who doesn't understand Potter must pay for leading Father to death." Draco scoffed.

"Your Father understood the risk when he agreed to become a Death Eater, Mr. Malfoy." Severus Snape explained. "You're better off staying out of the war."

"You just want me to look bad in front of the Dark Lord, _Professor_." Draco accused. Before Snape had a chance to reply, Professor Lupin appeared. "Excuse me, Professor Snape, but I think it's time for me to teach Draco a Transfiguration class."

"Whatever." Snape simply replied. "I'll be at the lab making a new batch of Wolfsbane Potion."

"You won't leave me with this creature, will you?" Draco desperately pleaded.

Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, Theodore Nott and the Slytherin Quidditch team approached Harry. "You think you're so smart keeping Malfoy from playing, don't you, Potter?"

"Huh?"

"Potter, be warned that I became the new Slytherin Seeker." Nott said.

"Good. Slytherin might have a chance with a Seeker who didn't buy his way into the team." Harry commented. The Slytherins left.

Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort broke into Azkaban. The imprisoned Death Eaters were more than happy that their master finally came to rescue them. "Now that I've got my truly loyal Death Eaters back, it's time to make plans."

Back at Hogwarts, the Slytherin Common Room to be more specific, Theodore Nott was preparing a sleeping potion. "Nott, what do you plan to do with the potion?" Vincent Crabbe asked.

"I'll make Harry Potter sleep during the Gryffindor versus Slytherin game so we might win." Theodore Nott said. "If I'm lucky it'll kill Potter and the Dark Lord will reward us. All I need is a way to make him drink the potion."

"We could put it on some cupcakes and place them where Potter would find and eat them." Gregory Goyle suggested.

"Only an idiot would eat a cupcake found like that!" Nott exclaimed, making Crabbe and Goyle ashamed of themselves. "What we need is a way to make him think they came from someone he trusts."

"We can send them with a note saying they came from that mudblood he loves." Crabbe suggested.

"Great idea, Crabbe." Nott sarcastically commented. "Except that… she's likely to be around him when he gets the cupcakes and warn him she didn't send them!"

"What about using that blood traitor's name?" Goyle asked. "You know, that one he saved from Salazar Slytherin's monster during our second year."

"Bad idea too." Nott replied. "That stupid brother of hers could tell Potter that the letter doesn't have her handwriting."

"Then we could pick some of his fangirls." Crabbe suggested. "There are so many of them."

Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort was giving instructions to his Death Eaters. "Lestranges, you'll sway the giants into helping our cause. The others will help me figure out a way to get into Hogwarts.

Back at Hogwarts, Sirius Black and Harry Potter were called to Dumbledore's office. "Treacle Tarts." The gargoyle door then opened.

"Welcome, my boys." Dumbledore greeted them. "I presume you know why I called the both of you here." Both Sirius and Harry nodded. "Good. I have memories that I believe might help to defeat Voldemort."

Using his pensieve, Dumbledore shown them memories of Morfin Gaunt, Voldemort's maternal Uncle, being questioned for an assault against the muggle that would later be known as Voldemort's father, Tom Riddle Senior and how it eventually led to Morfin being sentenced to three years in Azkaban and his father Marvolo Gaunt having to serve six months for assaulting Ministry personnel. It was also noticed that Tom Senior had no interest in Voldemort's mother. "And, honestly, I can't blame the man for this." Sirius added. "What did he see on her?"

"I'd have to speculate on this regard, Sirius, but my guess is that, without her brother and her father to oppress her, Merope could use some magic to capture heart." Dumbledore said, offering his two knuts.

"Muggle-baiting?" Sirius asked.

"Technically it could be called that, I suppose." Dumbledore said. "I believe a love potion is the most likely way she could have utilized to get Tom to elope with her. Once she became pregnant, however, she must have believed Tom would love her on her own or that he'd wait for their son's birth before leaving her. However, he left her without caring for their child."

Dumbledore then displayed a memory of when he went to the orphanage where Tom Marvolo Riddle grew up to tell him about magic and Hogwarts. "What do you think of this, my boys?" Dumbledore asked.

"I agree with Mrs. Cole." Sirius answered. "Merope was right about wishing her son would inherit his Dad's looks." He then noticed Harry and Dumbledore glaring at him. "What?"

Meanwhile, Theodore Nott's father arrived at Voldemort's lair. "Do you have any good news, Nott?"

"Unfortunately not, my Lord." Nott answered. "Narcissa Malfoy and her son isolated themselves at Black Manor and the boy seems to be receiving private education rather than returning to Hogwarts.

"What!" Voldemort yelled. "But I need access to the Malfoy fortune! Never mind. Potter will likely go there for Christmas. Then we'll get him."

"As you wish, my Lord." Nott said.

"What about Severus?" Voldemort asked.

"He became a private tutor to young Mr. Malfoy, my Lord." Nott explained. "We've been unable to reach him."

"You fool!" Voldemort yelled. "CRUCIO!"

"T-thank you, my Lord."

"Severus must have crucial information and he'll pay for being late." Voldemort then cackled. "Any news from dear Bellatrix? _She's_ a really useful Death Eater."

**Please review.**


	7. The Dueling Club

**Chapter 7: The Dueling Club**

"Are you sure that Cho Chang said she didn't send the cupcakes?" Sirius Black asked.

"Absolutely, Sirius." Harry replied.

"Harry, it's _Professor Black_ now." Hermione scolded the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Either way, let's take the cupcakes for Professor Slughorn." Sirius said.

Meanwhile, the Slytherins were lamenting their loss. "How come they didn't eat the cupcakes?" Gregory Goyle moaned.

"What if they found out?" Vincent Crabbe asked. "What will we do?"

"There's no need to worry, fellow Slytherins." Theodore Nott said. "We might have lost Professor Snape but our new Potions Master is also our new Head of House. He'll cover our tracks."

However, Slughorn was more honest than that. "You were right about bringing this to my attention, Sirius." The returned Potions Master said. "Those cupcakes were laced with a Sleeping Draught."

"Those slimy snakes!" Ron exploded. "Using our…" Hermione nudged him and continued. "…trust on human nature."

If Professor Slughorn found anything odd on this, he didn't act on it. "You can't be sure it was their work. Someone else might have decided to pull a prank on you."

"Come on, Horace, it's so obvious." Sirius pleaded. "Just give them some Veritaserum and the truth will come to light."

"I wonder what I would have found out if I were allowed to use it on you and James." Professor Slughorn replied.

"On a second thought, maybe I exaggerated with this." Sirius sheepishly replied.

Meanwhile, Theodore Nott was looking for Crabbe and Goyle but only found Goyle. "Where's Crabbe?" He asked.

"Looking for some dark artifact to use against Potter and his friends." Gregory Goyle explained.

As a matter of fact, Vincent Crabbe was walking by the seventh floor of Hogwarts Castle while thinking about his newfound need for dark artifacts when a door he failed to notice before opened. Curious about this new room, Crabbe looked around.

Later on, Ron Weasley was still sad about the fact the Slytherins wouldn't be punished. "Slughorn is favouring his Slytherins, I'm saying." He accused.

"Professor Slughorn, Ron." Hermione replied. "And there's really no solid evidence linking the Slytherins to this. You're only mad he didn't invite you to join the Slug Club."

"Look!" Said Harry while pointing at a sign.

"Another dueling club?" Ron moaned. "Well, it's not like Lockhart would be here to ruin it like last time."

When they arrived at the club, they were surprised at seeing Vincent Crabbe wearing a tiara. "What is Crabbe doing with a tiara?" Ron asked.

"And why are the Ravenclaws staring at it like they know it from somewhere?" Hermione asked in reply.

"That slimy snake probably stole it from some Ravenclaw girl." Ron suggested.

"That's Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem." Said Luna Lovegood as she approached the Gryffindor Golden Trio.

"The what?" Harry and Ron asked.

"Don't you ever read Hogwarts: A History?" An exasperated Hermione Granger asked. "Rowena Ravenclaw was said to have a diadem that was the cause of her intelligence. While Crabbe's tiara does look like the diadem as portrayed in the book, I can't believe her diadem, said to have been lost during her day, is the tiara Crabbe's wearing."

"Well, it seems Professor Flitwick can believe." Luna commented as she saw the Head of Ravenclaw House approaching Vincent Crabbe.

"I can't believe it!" Professor Flitwick squealed in delight. "It is Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem! Where did you find it?"

"It was at some abandoned room with a lot of junk by the seventh floor, Professor." Crabbe explained.

Knowing about the Come and Go Room, Flitwick understood what Crabbe was talking about. "Good work, Mr. Crabbe. Four hundred points to Slytherin!" Even the Ravenclaws, who were somewhat happy the diadem had been found, disliked the idea of Slytherin House winning so many points at once. Professor Flitwick then performed some tests on the diadem. "What? Someone placed a really dark curse on Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem? Sirius, you oversee the club. I'll report this to Professor Dumbledore."

Sirius Black then addressed to the students. "Well, Filius and I had planned into making a demonstration duel but, well, let's just call for volunteers."

Several students raised their hands. "Cormac McLaggen and Zacharias Smith."

"Are you sure about it, Professor Black?" Smith asked. "McLaggen is probably still recovering from all those doxy eggs he ate as part of some bet."

"I can beat you with my wand on my back." McLaggen replied.

"Keep your wand where you can see them, McLaggen." Sirius ordered. With all arguing over, the duel began. A few moments later, Sirius Black ended it and then went to explain all Cormac and Zacharias did right and wrong.

Meanwhile, at the Headmaster's office, Albus Dumbledore finished his diagnosis about the diadem. "It was like I feared. Voldemort left a piece of his soul."

"Do you mean a Horcrux?" A scared Professor Flitwick asked. He was understandably horrified.

"Yes." Headmaster Dumbledore solemnly answered as he pulled the Sword of Gryffindor.

"What are you going to do, Albus?" Flitwick asked.

"Harry Potter stabbed Slytherin's basilisk with Gryffindor's sword." Dumbledore explained. "There's now basilisk venom covering it, which can destroy the Horcrux."

While saddened by the idea of having the diadem destroyed soon after it had been found, Flitwick understood there was no other way as Dumbledore stabbed the diadem with the sword. "Well, at least He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named can finally die now." He commented.

"Unfortunately, Filius, I'm afraid we haven't destroyed all of Voldemort's horcruxes."

"HE MADE MORE!"

"Yes, Filius." Dumbledore sadly answered. "The diary, for exemple, was one. And it was recently discovered Voldemort did the same to Salazar Slytherin's locket."

"Did You-Know-Who entrust them to his allies?" Flitwick asked.

"Voldemort might have left one with the Lestranges, I suppose." Dumbledore conceded. "Maybe Sirius might help with this."

"What will we do about Vincent Crabbe?" Flitwick asked. "Who knows what You-Know-Who will do about it when he gets word of Crabbe finding one his Horcruxes?"

"You're right, Filius." Dumbledore replied. "We must do something to protect him from Voldemort's wrath."

**Please review.**


	8. Horcruxes no More

**Chapter 8: Horcruxes no More**

Lord Voldemort's pet snake Nagini broke into the Ministry of Magic to look for the Department of Mysteries and the prophecy linking Voldemort to Harry Potter. Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt noticed the snake and, with a quick array of spells, killed it. The resulting scream surprised not only Shacklebolt but also everybody else within hearing range.

In the next morning, Albus Dumbledore confirmed what the aurors investigating the case already suspected but feared mentioning: the snake was a Horcrux! The aurors became even more horrified when Dumbledore mentioned that Voldemort made others. Mirroring a statement made by Rubeus Hagrid years ago, the aurors asked if Voldemort was still human enough to die. As Dumbledore returned to his office, he found a letter from Sirius Black asking Harry's scar to be completely checked out for lasting effects. Since Dumbledore was hoping to get Sirius' help with the Lestrange vault, the Headmaster decided to comply.

Two days later, Sirius Black and a goblin named Bogrod were inspecting the Lestrange vault until they found a cup that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. Since the Lestranges never gave instructions against removing curses from the cup, Bogrod promptly destroyed the soul fragment located inside it. "The Lestranges will be informed of this as soon as possible." Bogrod informed.

"Is it really necessary?" Sirius asked in a pleading tone.

"Yes." Was the goblin's sharp reply. Sirius Black then told Dumbledore about this. "Well, that changes everything." Dumbledore said. "I hoped this could wait but, we must go to the Gaunt Shack in Little Hangleton." Dumbledore then apparated with Sirius side-along apparating with him.

Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, Pomfrey was so horrified about what she discovered in Harry Potter's scar she called for a team of St. Mungo's expert healers. She was half hoping her diagnosis was wrong but one of the experts broke her hope by stating, "The boy _is_ a Horcrux."

"What's a Horcrux?" Harry asked.

While the healers were wondering what to tell Harry, Sirius and Dumbledore were at the Gaunt Shack looking for another Horcrux. Dumbledore eventually found Morfin Gaunt's ring and even got tempted into using it once he recognized its stone as the legendary Resurrection Stone, but Sirius stopped him.

"What were you thinking, Headmaster?" Sirius asked in exasperation.

"I'm sorry, Sirius." Dumbledore replied. He then pulled the Sword of Gryffindor and destroyed the ring Horcrux. They then went back to Hogwarts, where they heard the healers. They all had their heads down until Sirius spoke. "Wait! By what I recall my parents telling me, the only role murder has on the Horcrux making ritual is the part of splitting a soul apart. Maybe we could repeat the ritual minus the killing to remove Voldemort's soul fragment from Harry and place it somewhere else.

"I hope so, Sirius." Dumbledore replied. "Hogwarts has a book on Horcruxes that I had removed from the school library as one of my first official decisions as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Perhaps we can get answers from it."

As Harry entered the Gryffindor common room, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville could see how worried he looked. "What's wrong, mate?" Ron asked.

"My scar might have more lasting effects than I thought." Harry explained.

"What?" A shocked Hermione asked. "Which effects?"

"I'm not sure exactly." Harry answered. "Madam Pomfrey even called healers from St. Mungo's just to confirm her diagnosis."

"Would it have something to do with you being a Parselmouth?" Ginny asked. However, Harry seemed to be too focused to answer.

"_They WHAT?" An enraged Voldemort asked._

"_They discovered about the cup you told me to keep, my Lord!" Bellatrix Lestrange exclaimed. "Forgive me…"_

"_CRUCIO!" Voldemort shouted. "The Dark Lord does not forgive! Nor does he forget! Now I have to check upon other things. Don't even bother calling me unless you've figured out a way to break into the Department of Mysteries or that you've captured Harry Potter!"_

"He's going to do something!" Harry said.

"What?" His friends asked.

"Voldemort." Harry replied. "He's mad at Bellatrix Lestrange for allowing some cup to be found. He said something about having to check upon other things and told her not to call him unless she captures me or finds a way to break into the Department of Mysteries."

"Harry, we must tell Professor Dumbledore about it!" Hermione suggested. Agreeing with this, Harry went to his office. He was surprised that his Godfather was also there. "Good afternoon, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore greeted. "What do I owe your presence to?"

"I had another vision of Voldemort." Harry explained and then described the vision. Dumbledore and Sirius had solemn faces. "Thanks for your concern, Harry. Now we have a concern of our own."

"Is it about my scar?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry." Dumbledore answers. "At this very moment, Sirius is reading an old book trying to learn a ritual we hope will rid you of lasting effects."

"Eureka!" Sirius drew people's attention with this. "This might be the solution. Headmaster, do you have any object you don't mind being destroyed?"

Dumbledore quickly picked some random silver object and offered it to Sirius. "That'll do. Thank you." He then started talking to Harry. "Harry, I don't want to scare you, but I'm afraid that scar contains a piece of Voldemort's soul."

"WHAT?"

"Yes, and I hope this ritual might remove it from you, but I won't try it unless you allow me. May I use the ritual?"

"YES!" Harry yelled in desperation. However, before Sirius even started, Harry had another sensation.

_Voldemort entered the Gaunt Shack to see if the Horcrux ring was still in the place where he hid it. To his horror, it wasn't._

"What happened, Harry?" A concerned Sirius Black asked.

"Voldemort is at some old shack." Harry answered and then added. "And he seemed pretty upset."

"I knew it was a matter of time until he decided to check upon the ring." Dumbledore commented. "Now the ritual, please."

Sirius then released the dark soul piece from Harry and placed it inside some old knife, which was then stabbed with Gryffindor's Sword. Now Lord Voldemort no longer had Horcruxes.

**Please review.**


	9. The End of Tom Marvolo Riddle

**Chapter 9: The End of Tom Marvolo Riddle**

Realizing the orphanage matron might have mentioned the cave incident to Dumbledore, Voldemort became afraid the only wizard he ever feared might have thought about looking for Horcruxes at the cave where he hid Salazar Slytherin's locket. What he didn't ever suspect was that Dumbledore had placed a charm in the cave to tell whenever he returned there. Dumbledore quickly called a group of Aurors to surround Voldemort.

As Voldemort reached the spot where he placed the locket, he got the shock of his life as he found another locket instead of the same one he left behind. Opening it, he found Regulus Black's note and became furious and scared at the same time. Could Regulus have told Dumbledore about this? Could the old fool be looking for the other Horcruxes even before that mudblood's protection prevented me from killing her son? With these worries in his mind, Voldemort quickly started to leave the cave.

"Leaving so soon, Tom?" Voldemort heard Dumbledore say as soon as he left the lake. Looking around, Voldemort not only saw Dumbledore but also Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks, Rufus Scrimegour and John Dawlish. "Mr. Riddle, you're under arrest." Dawlish declared, to the others' annoyance. "Please lower your wand and surrender peacefully."

"Quit the sweet talk, Dawlish." Moody scolded.

Voldemort wanted to flee, but he couldn't disapparate from where he was and Dumbledore and the Aurors were blocking the only way out, so he had no choice but fight. Without many chances to fire spells since the others kept shooting at him, Voldemort had to be very careful not to give them any openings. Tired of waiting, Moody shouted "Fiendfyre!" causing a burst of flames to go towards Voldemort, who managed to hold off the flames. Rufus Scrimegour then shot a spell at some stalactites, dropping them at Voldemort, who redirected the flames at them. Dumbledore took advantage of the distraction to cast a stunning spell that distracted Voldemort long enough for the flames to consume him, killing him for good.

**September, 1****st****, 1996**

Draco Malfoy returned to Hogwarts for his N.E.W.T. years. With him to say goodbye were his mother Narcissa Malfoy-Snape and his stepfather Severus Snape.

Sirius Black became the first Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to last more than one year ever since Tom Marvolo Riddle cursed the job.

Harry Potter started his first normal year at Hogwarts.

**THE END**

**I simply felt I had nothing else to add.**


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